S31:E22AI RECAP🎙️ LIVE AWLL From Proverbs — Chapter 22 (Multi Tracks Audio)

Hi, I'm John Maxwell. When the top companies in the world are looking for trainers, speakers, and coaches, there's one name that stands above the rest, and that's Maxwell Leadership. Our certified team members have gotten proven results for companies all over the globe, and our reputation, I'm proud to say, is second to none. Some of our members have risen to the top of their profession, including the one you're going to meet today. I proudly introduce you to my friend Bob Fabien Zinga.

Welcome to the Leadership and Success Podcast with your host, Coach BZ, where we help you lead with purpose and succeed with impact. If you're ready to grow into the kind of leader others want to follow, this podcast is for you. If you're determined to elevate your success and leave a lasting legacy, this podcast is for you. As my mentor, Dr. John C. Maxwell, reminds us, everything rises and falls on leadership. Our goal is simple, to inspire you, challenge you, and equip you with insights that can transform the trajectory of your leadership journey. Welcome aboard to another episode of the Leadership and Success Podcast with Coach Hello everyone, welcome to another special episode of Eon Leadership and Success Podcast.

For those watching live, please, uh, let us know where you are joining us from, what city, what state, and if outside of the US, which country. And also let us know what you are grateful for today. And, uh, finally, after the lesson, towards the end, let us know what your 3 to 5 takeaways are from today's lesson. Or type in the comment whatever jumps at you, whatever is meaningful, if you have an aha moment. All right, as is our custom, we are going to start with what we call our moment of gratitude. We're just going to take one moment to be grateful, something we do every time we meet. So if you would maybe close your eyes, put yourself in your happy place, Take a deep breath and think about one thing you are grateful for right now. I feel like there is a lot of chaos happening across the country and around the world, but I am grateful that I am still alive because I believe that as long as I am alive, there is hope for me. As long as I have breath, there is hope for me. So let us know what you are grateful for. Type it in the comment. Today we are going to go back to something we studied on January 22nd, 2026. That was the book of Proverbs chapter 22. The podcast was about an hour long. Today is going to be much shorter, maybe 15 to 20 minutes. We are going to have artificial intelligence recap of that lesson. So we are looking at the book of Proverbs. This is not a religious podcast, uh, This is really seeking ancient wisdom and leadership lessons from the Book of Proverbs, a book written more than 2,000 years ago, but whose wisdom is still relevant today in 2026. So I'm gonna start with the first AI video. It's about 5 minutes or so. And again, type in the comment what are your 3 to 5 takeaways. Here we go.

Whether navigating a zero-day exploit in Silicon Valley or commanding an information warfare unit at sea, the pressure to make the right call is suffocating. In that intense vacuum, the natural human instinct is to survive the day. We put out the immediate fires, patch the critical vulnerabilities, and chase the short-term wins that keep the organization afloat. But optimizing for the next quarter, the next promotion, or the next compensation bump creates a dangerous illusion of effective leadership. In the military, there is a harsh truth: your title might command obedience, but your rank is strictly rented. While tools of war and industry change every decade, the human beings operating them do not. This permanent human element is why elite commanders look to a 3,000-year-old blueprint—Proverbs 22—to find the laws of influence that have outlasted every empire they helped build. Your leadership reaches true significance when you prioritize the development of a culture that functions autonomously, Looking past the individual wins of the current watch. You cannot execute complex external strategies if your internal foundation is rotting. Every leadership framework eventually collapses without an uncompromised internal compass. This brings us to the first lesson of the blueprint: Your name is your greatest asset. Long before you walk into a boardroom or a briefing, your reputation and your integrity have already arrived. That means trust must be actively secured every single day. You earn it precisely in those difficult moments when maintaining your integrity comes at a steep personal cost. And the higher you climb, the harder that becomes. This is the paradox of power and the second lesson: as a leader's rank increases, the danger of blinding pride scales up right alongside it. The countermeasure is humility. True humility is disciplined strength. It is the active process of seeking out dissenting opinions and giving junyu team members the explicit permission to challenge your most deeply held assumptions. Without that baseline of earned trust and a constant willingness to be taught, you will inevitably collapse under the weight of the things you refuse to see. Once the internal character is secure, the focus shifts outward. Mature leaders look at time and systemic risk entirely differently than their peers. Lesson 3 dictates that reactive leadership is incredibly expensive. Waiting for the crisis to happen costs capital, morale, and time. Strategic leadership is inherently predictive. In cybersecurity, we call this threat modeling. You have to look 5 to 10 years down the line and invest heavy resources into proactive prevention rather than scrambling to fund a response. Because failing to anticipate those threats leads directly to Lesson 5. Any form of dependency, whether it is financial debt, technical debt, or political reliance, severely limits your operational freedom to maneuver. Wise stewardship means resisting the temptation of an easy, short-term gain. Taking the quick win today almost always engineers a long-term strategic trap for tomorrow. Strategy functions as a shield for the future. Prioritizing the organization's long-term freedom to act over the convenience of current resource management. But an organization with perfect operational freedom means nothing if there is no one capable of taking the helm. You have to understand the difference between influence, which exists to serve others, and manipulation, which exists solely to serve yourself. This is the core of Lesson 6. A leader's authentic communication style isn't just about relaying orders; Your words act as the architecture that builds and sustains the entire company culture. And yet, Lesson 4 presents a harsh reality: your team does not actually care what you say; they strictly mirror and replicate what you do. Significant leaders operate with the awareness that they are constant behavioral models. They intentionally focus their energy on preparing the exact people who are going to replace them. If you are not actively multiplying your discipline, your standards, and your values into the next generation, your operational success will die the moment you walk out the door. We arrive at the seventh and final lesson: Simply knowing these ancient principles is entirely useless without immediate, daily execution. Knowing the principles is a cognitive exercise; embodying them requires a total overhaul of your daily operating procedures. If you truly understood the weight of these lessons, your daily actions would already reflect them. These principles build the highest form of influence. Legacy. A leader prioritizes the development of other leaders over accumulating followers. You spark a chain reaction. The leaders you develop cultivate the next generation, long after your direct involvement ends. Your titles, your rank, and your temporary successes all have an expiration date. But leadership rooted in character, foresight, and multiplication will outlive you.

All right, so let us know what are your 3 to 5 takeaways. This was kind of like a 5-minute summary of the lesson we had on January 22nd, and you can read the full article on my LinkedIn newsletter. And I believe I wrote this— let me see, it was published on March 27, 2026. So it's Proverbs chapter 22, ancient wisdom, modern leadership, lasting legacy. So again, the 7 lessons we talked about today is lesson number 1 is your name is your greatest asset. Nothing more important than your integrity. And number 2, which is one of the best lessons I've learned as a leader, is humility. You have to lead with humility. It is the gateway to growth. Humility. Be humble as a leader. You don't know everything and you cannot know everything. You have to depend, rely on your team. Humility. Lead with humility. And number 3, anticipate risk. Don't just react to it. That's how you get to start formulating a strategy. You anticipate what's going to happen and then you prepare for the future. Not just putting out fires right now, but preparing for what's going to be tomorrow. And leadership is generational. Always think about the successor. And the next lesson is stewardship will determine freedom. Maximizing your resources, maximizing your asset. And your word build or break your culture. And I think that goes back with lesson 1, your name is your greatest asset. And finally, the last lesson we talked about is knowledge is not enough, you do have to apply it. That's how you get wisdom. Just knowing it in your head is not enough. You have to know it. And the way you prove that you know something is by doing it over and over and over again, applying the knowledge that you know. Very powerful. Okay, now we're gonna look at the next AI video. It's about 8 minutes long and it's going to expand again on those 7 lessons. So again, let me know in the comments Where are you joining us from? What city? What state? And if outside of the US, which country? What you are grateful for today, and also what you are learning in this lesson, your top 3 to 5 takeaways from today's lesson. Let's listen to the next video now, about 8 minutes. Let's jump straight into this explainer.

We're looking at an absolutely fascinating blueprint for modern leadership from US Navy commander and cybersecurity executive Bob Fabien Zinga. What's wild here is how he takes the ancient, time-tested wisdom of Proverbs 22 and maps it literally right onto today's high-stakes environments. Whether you're commanding a military unit, running a Silicon Valley tech team, or, y'know, calling the shots in a boardroom, it's a masterclass in translating ancient texts into massive operational success today. So, right out of the gate, you face a pretty stark choice: standard leadership versus legacy leadership. It's basically the choice between chasing those quick, short-term personal wins—like titles, rank, a bigger paycheck, and actually dedicating yourself to building a generational legacy. Sure, standard leadership might get you that promotion, but legacy leadership? That's what ensures your impact is felt long, long after you've left the room. To get us there, we're gonna break this blueprint down into 4 quick parts: Foundation, Strategy, Culture, and finally, the ultimate Leadership Legacy. All right, starting off with Part 1, Foundation. We're talking character and humility. This bit of ancient wisdom reminds us that your reputation is, without a doubt, your most valuable asset. Commander Zinga points out that whether you're battling it out in cyberspace or sitting in a corporate boardroom, your reputation travels way faster than you do. Think about it—people have usually formed an opinion about your leadership before you even step foot in the room, and it's based entirely on the integrity attached to your name. And this perfectly highlights how a thousands-of-years-old concept holds up today. You might get promoted into a role, sure, but you have to earn trust every single day. I love how Zinga puts it: "Rank is rented, but trust is earned." You've gotta lead the exact same way behind closed doors as you do in public. Protecting that integrity, even when it stings in the short term, is literally the only way to build enduring influence. Building right on that integrity, our second foundational trait is humility. Proverbs 22 warns us that the higher up the ladder you go, the more dangerous pride becomes. Honestly, it's so easy to start believing your own hype once you get a fancy title. But mature leaders? They recognize that humility isn't some sort of weakness; it's an absolute necessity. Let's get really practical for a second. Commander Zinga notes that when he was a commanding officer, one of the best solutions to a massive problem actually came from a junior enlisted sailor in just minutes. And this was a problem the senior leaders had literally been banging their heads against for weeks. It just proves that humility, you know, seeking real feedback, building teams that will actively challenge you, and staying teachable—that's discipline strength under control. You don't need to have all the answers. You just need to be humble enough to listen to the people who do. So I want you to think about this coaching question for just a second. Who actually has permission to tell you that you're wrong? Because if everyone around you is just nodding and validating your ideas, you are flying completely blind. Moving right along to Part 2: Strategy. Let's look at risk and stewardship. This verse is all about foresight. In these high-stakes environments, reactive leadership is just incredibly expensive. If you're constantly playing whack-a-mole and putting out fires, you're exhausting your team and just burning through resources. Strategic, mature leadership though? It's intrinsically predictive. Success is really just what happens when preparation meets opportunity. It's honestly kinda mind-blowing to see how well an ancient proverb maps onto modern cybersecurity. Zinga translates "foreseeing the evil" into purely modern operational terms: threat modeling, risk assessment, proactive defense. It's a huge reminder to invest heavily in prevention and to think 1, 5, or even 10 years down the road. You've gotta prepare your teams for multiple scenarios, not just cross your fingers for the best-case outcome. Shifting from risk over to stewardship, we hit Proverbs 22:7. Now, on the surface, this sounds like strict financial advice, right? But Zinga argues this is actually a profound, overarching leadership principle. It emphasizes that dependency inherently limits your freedom to operate. And this dependency takes some very specific forms today. Financial debt limits your strategic flexibility. Technical debt, like, say, going with the quick and dirty software fix, creates immediate organizational friction. Actually, it's pretty funny when you think about it. A 3,000-year-old text essentially predicting the headache of IT technical debt. Even political dependence in a corporate environment puts a stranglehold on your decision-making. The big takeaway here is that true operational independence requires wise stewardship. You have to avoid those short-term gains that inevitably turn into long-term traps. So ask yourself, where is a short-term shortcut today gonna cost you your long-term freedom tomorrow? Alright, let's dive into Part 3: Culture. We're focusing on words and mentorship here. When we talk about your words, Proverbs 22:11 really highlights the importance of pure intent. Leadership communication isn't just about speaking clearly so people get your orders. It's about authentic intent. It's about aligning what you say with your core values. Because your words set the tone, they build the trust, and ultimately, they shape the entire culture of your organization. And that creates a super fine line you have to walk. As a communicator. From the outside, influence and manipulation can look pretty similar, but their core intent is completely different. Influence serves others, it builds trust, and it shapes a positive culture. Manipulation, on the other hand, it serves the self, creates uncertainty, and just seeks to control people. As leaders, we've gotta speak with purpose and integrity to build our people up, definitely not break them down or manipulate them for our own gain. Which brings us right to mentorship. Leadership is profoundly generational. You are always, always modeling your discipline, your standards, and your values. Your team is constantly watching you. And here's the thing: they do what you do, not what you say. People trust patterns; they don't trust speeches. So who are you preparing to replace you? Because there is no true success without succession. You have to intentionally invest in mentorship. You are there to develop future leaders, not just collect followers who need you to make every single decision for them. Finally, Part 4: The Ultimate Leadership Legacy. Look, this explainer makes one thing crystal clear: your title is inevitably going to end. One day, somebody else will hold your position. And if you've only focused on success—like wealth, titles, your own personal achievements—well, your impact stops the exact second you retire. But your influence? That can live on, but only if you shift your focus from success over to significance. Significance is all about what you multiply. It's passing on character, sharing wisdom, and developing those future leaders. At the absolute pinnacle of leadership, you're setting off a chain reaction. Step 1 is developing leaders. Step 2 is empowering those people to develop other leaders. And step 3 is expanding your impact way, way beyond your own lifetime. Now that is what true legacy leadership looks like. But here's the catch: knowledge alone just isn't enough. Commander Zinga points out a pretty harsh reality: lots of people are informed, but very few are actually transformed. If you really knew it, you'd be doing it, right? So you have to apply what you've learned immediately. Which of these lessons challenged you the most? What is one single behavior you're going to apply this week? And who are you intentionally developing right now? I'm gonna leave you with this provocative thought, because leadership wisdom only has power when you actually live it out: What do you know but you are not doing? It's time to bridge that gap. Take these ancient principles, apply them directly to your modern challenges, and go start building a legacy that will absolutely outlast you.

Alright, we have one more video to show. It's about 10 minutes long. And by the way, Daniel, if you hear me, I sent you the link to the podcast portal if you wanted to get on and give me your 3 to 5 takeaways. Alright, I'm gonna play the last 10 minutes now. Again, for those watching live who have just joined us, I want to know where are you joining us from? What are you grateful for today? And what are your 3 to 5 takeaways from today's lesson? At a very high level, I think the big idea for Proverbs chapter 22 is that leadership must outlive you. You are really not a leader if when you no longer lead, your organization falls apart, right? One of my primary mentors used to tell me, The day you know you are a great leader is when you go away for like a vacation, 2 weeks, 3 weeks, a month, however long it might be, and as you are gone, your people still know what to do and nothing falls apart, right? You've trained your people to take over your responsibilities. That is true leadership succession. All right, so let's play these last 10 minutes and let us know again your 3 to 5 takeaways in the comment.

Here we go.

Welcome everyone to this deep dive into leadership wisdom. Ancient yet strikingly modern. We're chatting about Proverbs 22 and its timeless lessons for, you know, military and tech leaders. Yeah, definitely.

I'm really excited. There's so much to unpack about how our actions, reputation, and character define true leadership.

Absolutely. It's like Um, your name is your greatest asset. Whether you're commanding a ship or a boardroom, people remember how you do things.

Yeah, exactly. So, you mean it's not just about the title or the paycheck, right? It's all in the integrity and the daily choices we make.

Right on. It's about making decisions that, uh, your future self will be proud of, protecting your reputation, and consistently earning trust.

Mm-hmm, that's key. Kind of like, you know, when a leader's credibility outshines Um, even the best technical skills.

Exactly, and that's the first leadership lesson. Proverbs 22:1 reminds us that a good name is worth much more than riches. So if you mess up your character, well, no amount of, um, gold can buy it back.

Right. That makes me think, how do you see that translating into daily leadership practices, especially in high-stakes fields like cybersecurity or military command? Good question.

It's consistent integrity. Whether you're in public or private, living by the same values builds that trusted legacy.

Yeah, absolutely. I love that. And then there's humility as the gateway to growth. It's so easy to get caught up in success and forget that listening matters.

Exactly. Proverbs 22:4 really nails it. By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches honor, and life. When you're at the top, being receptive to feedback, and sometimes even from the most unexpected sources, is crucial.

Yeah, for sure. I mean, imagine you're at a high level and you ignore insights from a junior team member.

That could really backfire. Precisely. And one anecdote that sticks is how, as a commanding officer, I learned that some of the most brilliant ideas came from those least expected voices. A junior enlisted sailor solving what we struggled on for weeks.

Wow, that's powerful. It really highlights that leadership isn't about ego, but about fostering a culture where every voice counts.

Yes, which brings us to anticipating risk, another key lesson from Proverbs 22. The scripture advises us to foresee potential dangers instead of just reacting.

Very strong. Strategic. Right. It's like having a proactive mindset, planning not just for the next win, but for the next possible setback, which is essential in both tech settings and military operations.

Exactly. Think about it. In cybersecurity, we call it threat modeling, anticipating risks before they become real problems. Similarly, in leadership, you need to prepare your team for long-term hurdles.

Yeah, that foresight is invaluable. I do wonder, though, is there a risk that too much focus on potential pitfalls might, um, stifle innovation sometimes?

That's a valid question. However, it's more about building resilience, not being paralyzed by fear. It means investing in prevention and training your team to navigate uncertainties.

Right, that's a balanced approach. It reminds me of that phrase, "Success is when preparation meets opportunity." It's all about setting the scene for your team. Yeah, building a legacy rather than just a following. That really resonates. Leadership isn't about short-term wins but long-term impact. How do you see that applying in environments like Silicon Valley?

Well, in tech, leadership often touches on mentoring and succession planning. It's like planting seeds for future growth. If your team trusts your patterns and sees your discipline, they're more willing to step up. Exactly. This brings up stewardship, as highlighted in Proverbs 22:7. Lead with fiscal and operational discipline. Leaders must avoid short-term gains that might compromise long-term freedom.

Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. So it's not just about, like, spending wisely, but managing resources in a way that supports sustainable growth in both financial and operational domains.

Right. It's like owning a car; you wouldn't neglect regular maintenance, or else you risk breakdowns later. In leadership, short-sighted decisions can create debt, be it technical or financial, that shackles your progress. Absolutely.

And what about the lesson on words? How do our words shape our culture as leaders?

That's another gem. Proverbs 22:11 reminds us that our words, when spoken with purpose and authenticity, set the tone for team culture. It's about clarity, intentionality, and truly building people up rather than manipulating.

Yeah, I like that. I agree. But sometimes I feel words can be misinterpreted. How do you manage that fine line between influence and manipulation?

Good point. It's about aligning your words with your values. When your language consistently reflects integrity, Your team recognizes it even if they don't have every detail explained. Yeah, definitely. Then there's the part about knowledge not being enough. Proverbs 22:17-19. Basically, leadership wisdom isn't just, um, knowing theory. It's about applying that wisdom actively.

Right. Like, you got to walk the talk. I love that contrast. Informed versus transformed. So many people can recite principles, but it's the living out of them that truly sets leaders apart. Exactly.

It challenges you to reflect on what you're not just aware of but actually doing. There's a coaching question that really drives it home: "What do you know but are not doing?" Mm-hmm. That's a tough one.

It's a call to action, really pushing leaders to transform knowledge into, um, palpable impact.

Yes, and honestly, all these lessons—integrity, humility, foresight, stewardship, honest communication, and practical wisdom—coalesce into what I'd call legacy leadership. It's about developing leaders who, in turn, develop more leaders.

Absolutely, that ripple effect is powerful. Now, I do wonder, isn't there a danger of oversimplifying things by boiling leadership down to these lessons? Sometimes context matters a lot, right?

That's a thoughtful challenge. Of course, context is key, but these principles are, um, foundational. They adapt to various situations but remain relevant across boardrooms, cyber battlegrounds, or naval commands. It's like a blueprint that's meant to be flexible.

Yeah, I see that. That makes sense. The essence is iterative. You refine your approach as situations evolve, but your core values remain intact.

Exactly. And the coaching questions peppered throughout the discussion push every leader to not just, uh, sit on wisdom but to act on it. They ask, "What risks are you ignoring?" or "Who are you preparing to replace you?" Questions that ensure leadership is always in motion.

Yeah, that's what keeps us evolving. It really underscores that leadership is a journey, Not simply achieving a title, but a commitment to ongoing growth and, um, lasting influence. Spot on.

So whether you're an upcoming naval officer or a Silicon Valley tech leader, Proverbs 22 offers a blueprint for leadership that outlives you. Exactly. Legacy leadership.

It's, um, a reminder that every decision, every word, and every moment contributes to your legacy. That's really powerful. Absolutely.

And as you reflect on these leadership challenges—integrity, humility, foresight, and more—remember, it's a daily commitment.

Yeah, every day counts. I'm definitely taking away actionable insights from this discussion. It really makes you ask, "What leadership behaviors will I apply this week?" Exactly.

And who are you, as a leader, developing right now? It's a call for nurturing growth in others so that your legacy your influence lasts far beyond you. Absolutely.

This conversation has been, um, a fantastic reminder that leadership isn't accidental. It's built daily through character, discipline, and a willingness to learn and teach.

Yes, and it's such a dynamic interplay between ancient wisdom and modern challenges. When you live by these principles, you're shaping not only today's outcomes but also a legacy for tomorrow.

Well, that's a wrap for our deep dive into Proverbs 22's leadership lessons. Thanks for steering this illuminating conversation. It's been insightful and, um, very enriching. Absolutely.

Thanks for joining in the discussion. May every leader out there remember that their true title is defined by the legacy they create, both in character and in the leaders they develop.

Exactly right. Until next time, keep leading with integrity and compassion.

All right, this is all I have planned for you today, Proverbs chapter 22. Again, let us know what are your 3 to 5 takeaways from today's lesson, ancient wisdom and leadership lesson from Proverbs chapter 22. What are your 3 to 5 takeaways? Now, Daniel, if you can hear me, you can come on the podcast platform if you can. And then I can get your 3 to 5 takeaway from today's lesson. Uh, and I want to remind everybody, um, the next study we are going to do is going to be Proverbs chapter 23. It's going to be similar to this one, and again, it's about ancient wisdom and also leadership lesson, right, from the book of Proverbs. It looks like Daniel is going to be able to join us in a minute while he's getting ready. We also want to celebrate Black History Year, right? I found out this year we were celebrating Black History Month every single day of February here in the US. I was writing posts about Black history, and I quickly found out that no, 28 days is just not long enough. So we're celebrating Black History Year here on the Leadership and Success podcast. So I kind of have two vignettes to do that. One is today's date. Today's May 2nd. So on May 2nd, 1963, it was in Birmingham, the Children's Crusade in Birmingham. On May 2nd, more than 1,000 Black children in Birmingham, Alabama took a courageous stand against segregation, launching what became known as the Children's Crusade, a defining moment in the American civil rights movement. Here are a picture of some of these young kids. And of course they were mistreated by the Birmingham police, and it really made news and really advanced the civil rights in this country. It's kind of sad that it took children being mistreated and violated and being put in prison in this country. That was in 1963, so it's not that long ago, in Birmingham, Alabama. So we do want to remember that. So I have a quick video I am going to play about that. It's only about a couple of minutes to celebrate Black History Year on the Leadership Success Podcast.

On March 26th, June 26th, 1931, 9 black youths riding a freight train were arrested after being falsely accused of raping 2 white women. After nearly being lynched, they were brought to trial in Scottsboro, Alabama. Despite evidence that exonerated the young men, including a retraction in 1933 by one of their accusers, The state pursued the case. All white juries delivered guilty verdicts against the 9 defendants, and all but the youngest, who was a 12-year-old, were sentenced to death. From 1931 to 1937, during a series of appeals and new trials, they remained in prison where they were repeatedly brutalized by gods. In 1932, the U.S. Supreme Court concluded that the Scottsboro defendants had been denied adequate counsel at trial. In 1935, the Supreme Court again ruled in favor of the defendants, overturning their convictions because Alabama had systematically excluded blacks from jury service. Finally, in 1937, 4 of the defendants were released. The other 5 were given sentences from 20 years to life. And 4 out of those 5 were paroled between 1943 and 1950. The 5th escaped prison in 1948 and fled north to Michigan. No crime in American history, let alone a crime that never occurs, produced as many trials, convictions, reversals, and retrials as the case of the Scottsboro Boys.

All right, this is again why I think it's so important to learn our history. Again, we're talking about 1960s. That's not that long ago. It's only like 65, 67 years ago, right? And there's been a lot of progress, and we need to make sure that as a country, we really live up to the aspiring foundational document of our country, the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. Right? Those words that all men are truly created equal. It doesn't matter if you are Black, if you are brown, Hispanic, it doesn't matter. We should all have the same, uh, equity, uh, in front of the law and, uh, when it comes to, uh, civil rights and everything else. So that's the America I love, and that's the America we want to make sure we preserve. Okay, uh, The second vignette I'm gonna be speaking about, our profile in courage, that's Carol Moseley Brown, who was the very first African American woman elected to the US Senate in November 1992. Carol Moseley Brown didn't just win an election, she really reshaped American political history. And I am going to play a quick video about that and also get a copy of her book, Trailblazer: Perseverance in Life and Politics. I have it listed in the digital bookshelf of the Leadership Success Podcast. Here's a quick video about the extraordinary life of Carol Mosley Brown.

The influx of federal agents and the threat of federal troops in Chicago was catching the attention of the nation's first Black woman in the US Senate.

Carol Moseley Brown reflected on this moment as she sat down with investigator Dorothy Tucker to talk about her recent memoir.

First ICE agents, then border patrols, and standing by, the National Guard. The woman who once represented Illinois in the U.S. Senate describes the conversions of forces in her hometown this way.

I feel really bad about it. I hope that our country finds a way to get back on track, because we were on track to a better world, and I think we kind of slipped and regressed on that.

Kira Mosley Braun has been fighting for a better world for decades.

This is with a bunch of other senators.

It's a journey she details in her recent memoir, Trailblazers, title of her book, definition of her life.

My mother's wisdom was Do the best job you can where you're planted.

The political seeds were planted in 1978 when Mosley Braun, a prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney's Office and mother of a 1-year-old son, ran for the Illinois House of Representatives on a dare.

This guy said to me, "Don't run, you can't possibly win. The Blacks won't vote for you because you're not part of the machine. The whites won't vote for you because you're Black, and nobody's going to vote for you because you're a woman." I was like, "What?" So at that moment I said, you know, that's it.

She spent nearly 10 years in the State House before serving as the Cook County Recorder of Deeds. And then in 1992, we have won a great victory tonight. This South Side girl, educated in Chicago public schools, became the first Black female elected to the U.S. Senate.

And you, you, you have made history.

But when she got to Capitol Hill, They wouldn't let me in.

They wouldn't let me in the Senate. The guards at the door said, "Oh no, Miss, you can't go there." And happily, his buddy on the other side of the door said, "Oh no, that's the new senator from Illinois." The humorous and the painful fill the pages of Mosley-Brown's book.

She lost her reelection bid for the Senate in 1998. What would you go back and say to that younger Carol?

Do a better job communicating.

She thinks she should have held more town halls, sent out monthly newsletters.

I kind of put blinders on and just kind of focus on, you know, my job, which I saw as legislating, when in fact my job was getting reelected, and I didn't pay that as much attention as I should have.

Her legislative record is impressive.

Yeah, I passed my whole legislative agenda, everything from crumbling schools to the Underground Railroad.

And she never hesitated to fight for what she believed was right.

I've got to tell you, this vote is about race.

Like the time she persuaded the Senate to reject a Confederate symbol.

It is about the single most painful episode in American history.

Mosley-Brawn also writes about life after the Senate. That picture there, the second one, was taken in New Zealand. Appointments to ambassadors to New Zealand and Samoa. Today she serves on several boards. Me with the babies. And dotes on her grandchildren. The inspiration for sharing her life's story.

I've got grandbabies now, as you know, and I'm hoping that the world they inherit will be better for my having been here.

Dorothy Tucker, CBS News Chicago.

All right, it looks like Daniel is waiting for us in the green room. Let's bring him in. And also for those watching, again, let us know 3 to 5 takeaways from today's lesson. Let's bring in Daniel. Hey Daniel, can you hear me? Oh, you are on mute, I think. Oh, right.

Is that better?

Yes, I can hear you. Fantastic. Good evening. All right, thank you for joining us all the way from Maitland, Florida. What is one thing you are grateful for today, Daniel?

I always want to start off by saying thank you for having this podcast. I'm so appreciative of it. Do not rob the poor because he is poor, nor oppress the afflicted at this gate. Got— Bob, you and your crew are offering a gate of opportunity for everyone to open up and expand to the wisdom and the knowledge that Proverbs offers. I was just creating a Substack article and I was posting it on LinkedIn and I saw your pop-up and I was like, I definitely want to tune in. And I do want to start off by saying a good name is a good title. As Proverbs 22 opens, a good name is more desirable than great riches. My grad guide that I was just writing, uh, for the graduates— a lot of graduations are getting ready to come out in 2026. Um, the angle I was taking, that don't chase the fanciest job title first. Build yourself a reputation for being trustworthy, prepared, and steady under pressure. That way you can have, uh, what I, what I titled the honor mode as a safe haven ankle for your human stack. That is your name, how people experience you when things are messy. Yes.

Wow, that is really, really powerful. Thank you so much for sharing that. And I always like to get feedback from the audience, what touched you or something you would take as a takeaway. Like, I think it was the last lesson from today, lesson number 7, right? It's not just about it or knowing it, it's actually putting it into practice, right? Uh, what, what do you think, uh, about that? It's not just about knowing, but actually applying what you know that makes a difference.

I take it from a sandbox perspective. The Bible says to train a child, uh, and, and in an operating system, that's designing the operating system. When you train a child in the way that he should go, it's about early formation. So not just the actual parenting that you are responsible for, for doing. I bring this up in my grad guide, where your first jobs are where you're training up your work habits, the emotional habits, and your integrity. Therefore, you treat those things like a living lab and not random gigs. So I can tell, um, your junior commanders from that angle that, um, that, that that old saying is still relevant today, that you're training yourself and your soldiers, your teams in a way that they will go under stress. Hmm.

That is really powerful. Thanks again for sharing, Daniel. Really appreciate that. And hopefully we're going to hear more from you next time. Yes, sir.

And if you don't mind, I have one more to give you guys as well. Proverbs 22:6 is telling grads and junior leaders that the way you run your first season becomes your default under pressure. So make your early career a lab for disciplined, godly habits and not just a hustle. That way you can transfer that into the prudent seeing danger and hide. And what I mean by that is that you can take refuge but the simple keep is going, um, and suffering for it. The angle I took today was the AI discernment. Don't ignore any of the red flags, um, about burnout, debt, or toxic cultures, but you can make an adjustment to your path that doesn't spiritualize any type of bad decisions that you may make.

Wow, I really love that you talked about discipline, habit, because I think that's probably what makes a difference, right? Between those people who are very successful and those who are not. It's discipline. Because everybody wants to do the right thing, everybody has goals, but not everybody does what it takes to actually achieve those results, right? To me, discipline, like my mentor taught me, is doing what you need to do when you need to do it, whether you feel like it or not. Because those who are not successful, they do want to do the right thing, but they usually don't feel like it. Ah, too tired. Oh, I'm too sleepy. Oh, it's too sunny. Oh, it's too cold. They always have an excuse, right? And if you— when some, some, sometimes in life you're either going to, you know, find an excuse or you are going to find a way to make things happen. And, and really, I think what Bob Fabien is asking us to do is to find where you are going to do whatever is necessary to win.

Wow, that is very, very Yes, sir. And, and again, that's why I built the Safe Haven, uh, Saturdays as an honor mode, uh, type of refinement where you're building your structures. Um, Sabbath, you mentioned mentors, I'm mentoring boundaries, and that lets you step back before you end up crashing. Because in 2026, prudence looks like tuning your radar to see any type of digital dangers and emotional dangers that we can harbor. And then you have to have the courage to pivot instead of pretending everything is, is actually fine. Wow.

That is quite powerful. Yeah, because we do need to foresee risk and also prepare for it. I think that's really where strategy comes into play. Thanks again, Daniel, for sharing your feedback. And for those who are watching, even after the show, go ahead and type into the comments 3 to 5 takeaways from today's lesson. Really appreciate that, Daniel. Bye for now. Thank you. All right, so this is it for today, and we are going to be back. I'm not sure if I'm gonna do a podcast tomorrow. I might. If I do, I will do Proverbs chapter 23, but if not, we're gonna do it sometimes next week. Again, similar to Proverbs 2022, we're just gonna focus on the ancient wisdom and the leadership lesson from the book of Proverbs. And for those of you who are frequent here, part of my audience, of my tribe, if you want to come on and give me your feedback like Daniel just did on whatever we are studying, I definitely welcome that. Okay, bye for now, and thank you so much for watching.

Thank you for tuning in to the Leadership and Success Podcast with your host, Coach Beezy. If today's episode added value to your leadership journey, be sure to subscribe, share, and join us again for more wisdom nuggets on how to lead better and achieve greater success. Remember, leadership is the most critical skill of our time. The world will always need leaders to inspire others, drive innovation, and execute meaningful strategy. So why not count yourself among the bold leaders shaping the 21st century? Until next time, stay inspired, stay committed, and keep leading with excellence.